Join us to celebrate Refugee Week 2024 and explore the meaning of ‘home’ through a screening of ‘Hours of Ours’, a film about a Sudanese family waiting indefinitely in Thailand, by Thai film-maker Komtouch Dew Napattaloong, followed by a panel discussion with Komtouch, Dr Alya Khan and Professor Louise Ryan. This event is a collaboration between London Metropolitan University, the Global Diversities and Inequalities Research Centre, and Genesis Cinema.

Premiered at Visions du Réel and Singapore International Film Festival in 2023, ‘Hours of Ours’ tells the story of a young Sudanese family who flees their country and arrives in Bangkok to seek asylum. They meet a young Thai film-maker who has just returned home after a decade abroad. Despite the uncertain future facing the family, they form a deep connection and decide to make a film together. ‘Hours of Ours’ follows the Ibrahim family’s journey as they navigate the challenges of living in an indefinite transitory state while they wait for approval to be resettled in Canada.

The post-film discussion will explore meanings of home, identity, belonging and diverse trajectories of migration. Komtouch Dew Napattaloong will discuss his own experiences of migration, and of working with urban refugees in Thailand. Dr Alya Khan will discuss her research into meanings of ‘home’ amongst racially minoritised communities in London, and Professor Louise Ryan will discuss recent research with Afghani refugees in the UK, and the importance of social networks in creating ‘home’. The panel will be facilitated by Dr Rebecca Warren who has researched the educational experiences of young refugees in Bangkok, Thailand, where she met Komtouch.

The event will start at 6:20pm with a short introduction from Komtouch and Rebecca, followed by the film and panel discussion. The event will finish at 8:40pm.